Explore Collections
You are here:
CollectionsOnline
/
Roman cinerarium and lid: between double fillet and compressed waterleaf mouldings is a large name plate with similar borders flanked by two enriched Tuscan pilasters. The lid has a curved pediment ornamented with an eagle with wings half spread and an antefix on each of the four corners with enriched borders below on three sides. There are large palmettes carved on the ends / sides of the cinerarium.
Browse
Roman cinerarium and lid: between double fillet and compressed waterleaf mouldings is a large name plate with similar borders flanked by two enriched Tuscan pilasters. The lid has a curved pediment ornamented with an eagle with wings half spread and an antefix on each of the four corners with enriched borders below on three sides. There are large palmettes carved on the ends / sides of the cinerarium.
Pentelic marble
Height: 37cm
Height (excluding lid): 29cm
Width (lid): 28cm
Length (lid): 27cm
Height (excluding lid): 29cm
Width (lid): 28cm
Length (lid): 27cm
Museum number: M708
Vermeule catalogue number: Vermeule 321
On display: Dome Area
All spaces are in No. 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields unless identified as in No. 12, Soane's first house.
For tours https://www.soane.org/your-visit
Curatorial note
Inscribed:
DIOSCHORI
ISIDORIS
V·A·I
The inscription here is questioned in C.I.L.; an antique prototype, however, is acknowledged.
The lid, even though ancient is likely to be from a different urn and cut to the correct size. As bases to urns were rarely, or as Sinn states, 'never', ancient, the base is a later 'restoration' as well. Professor Glenys Davies (correspondence in SM object file) considers this urn to be possibly from the Piranesi workshop based on a comparative study of the patterns used on the bases of urns known to have passed through Piranesi's hands. It is possible that Piranesi added a base to heighten the decorative effect.
DIOSCHORI
ISIDORIS
V·A·I
The inscription here is questioned in C.I.L.; an antique prototype, however, is acknowledged.
The lid, even though ancient is likely to be from a different urn and cut to the correct size. As bases to urns were rarely, or as Sinn states, 'never', ancient, the base is a later 'restoration' as well. Professor Glenys Davies (correspondence in SM object file) considers this urn to be possibly from the Piranesi workshop based on a comparative study of the patterns used on the bases of urns known to have passed through Piranesi's hands. It is possible that Piranesi added a base to heighten the decorative effect.
Provenance
Unrecorded.
Literature
Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum (CIL), VI, iii, 16894.
F. Sinn, Stadtrómische Marmorurnen, Mainz, 1987, p.270.
F. Sinn, Stadtrómische Marmorurnen, Mainz, 1987, p.270.
Soane collections online is being continually updated. If you wish to find out more or if you have any further information about this object please contact us: worksofart@soane.org.uk